Imaging Device Body Motion Correction via Signal Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging devices struggle to obtain accurate time-varying changes in pixel values of a region of interest, especially when the region moves with the subject's body motion, due to the complexity of correcting for spatial movements, which results in incomplete fixation of blood vessels and prolonged calculation times.
Innovation Solution
An imaging device and method that includes an excitation light source, a shooting unit, and an image storage system capable of sequentially measuring and smoothing pixel values at positions corresponding to a region of interest, sampling maximum or minimum pixel values within a cycle equal to or longer than the subject's body motion, to create a curve of time-varying changes, thereby accounting for body motion and eliminating periodic components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional vector calculation correction is applied to account for body motion, then measurement precision of region of interest is improved, but device complexity and calculation time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the problematic periodic components (body motion artifacts) from the time intensity curve through signal processing, rather than attempting to precisely track and correct every spatial movement. This simplifies the correction approach while maintaining measurement accuracy for the region of interest.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of trying to precisely track and correct the position of the region of interest through complex vector calculations, the patent inverts the approach by analyzing the time intensity curve to identify and remove periodic components that represent body motion, thereby obtaining accurate measurements without complex spatial tracking.
2Measurement precision
If vector calculation correction is applied to fix blood vessels in every region, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to prolonged calculation time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the periodic components representing body motion from the time intensity curve, obtaining accurate blood flow data without the need for time-consuming vector calculations to fix blood vessels in every region.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical vector calculation system with a signal processing approach that analyzes temporal intensity variations and removes periodic components, achieving the same goal of fixing blood vessels more efficiently.
3Reliability
If full vector calculation correction is performed for all regions, then reliability of TIC analysis is improved, but loss of time increases due to complex spatial movement correction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts periodic components from the time intensity curve that represent body motion and removes them, achieving reliable TIC analysis without the time-consuming process of performing full vector calculation corrections for all regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the time-consuming mechanical vector calculation system with a faster signal processing method that identifies and removes periodic artifacts from the intensity curve, maintaining reliability while reducing processing time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the easy and accurate acquisition of time-varying changes in pixel values of a region of interest, even when the region moves with the subject's body motion, by smoothing the curve to exclude unwanted peaks and ensure reliable data analysis.
Implementation Method 1
irradiating a fluorescent dye administered in a body of a subject with excitation light, and taking an image of fluorescence emitted from the fluorescent dye
Implementation Method 2
An image of the fluorescence is captured by an image sensor capable of detecting the near-infrared light
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging device and method which can easily obtain a curve of time-varying changes in pixel value of a region of interest, even if the region of interest moves with a subject's body motion. A controller includes an image processor executing various types of image processing on fluorescence images and visible light images. The image processor includes a pixel value measurement unit which sequentially measures values of pixels at positions corresponding to a region of interest (ROI) in the fluorescence image, a change curve creation unit which creates a curve of time-varying changes in pixel value of the ROI by sampling, among the pixel values measured by the pixel value measurement unit, a minimum pixel value within a period equal to or longer than a cycle of the subject's body motion, and a smoothing unit which smooths the curve created by the change curve creation unit.